Dave D./ Dave T.:
I haven't been over 400 on the salt-- or even over 200. I think the over-400
guys
spend all their time on their cars, and don't have much left for "bench-racing"
with
us on this list.
I was on the salt for two of the meets this summer, however. And I spent as
much
time as I could studying the cars, the salt, and the reaction of one to the
other.
I was told that the salt was exceptionally good this year. My initial
observation
was that it seemed pretty firm and dry, with just a light sprinkle of "sugar"
on the
surface. And I also saw the tire "burnout" marks in several places, as Dave D.
mentioned.
But at 130mph I could feel the tires of my own car spinning.
When I inspected a part of the "long course"/"big-end" after speed week, I found
evidence everywhere of drive-tire slippage. One place looked like the exit
from a
turn on a clay "circle-track" (except that it was white, of course). And some
of
the tracks were over an inch deep-- still with indication of wheelspin. What
that
said to me is that even with big downforce (whether aero, or ballast)-- some of
the
cars can't get enough traction to reach their speed potential. I assumed these
were
the cars with the most horsepower per axle-- and some were those potential
absolute
wheel-driven record cars that you are referring to.
To me, the email you mentioned from T. Burkland seems to support this theory.
So-- even though Dave Thomssen's response was rather casual, I still tend to
believe
that he has identified one of the most important barriers (if not the most
important) to big increases in the absolute wheel-driven record.
Russ Mack
Dave Dahlgren wrote:
> So much for intelligent conversation !!!!!!!!!!
> You told me to think about it . Did you??
>
> Ask a question in all seriousness ... well you know the rest... maybe some one
> that does know the answer or have something to say that is helpful or
>thoughtful
> will reply..
>
> BTW.. have seen little sanding water lately and the salt is so hard you can
> leave rubber on it so an interesting thought you had but it makes no sense at
> all...
>
> Lets go for something serious..
> How many of you guys out there can piss up a wall over your head?
>
> Dave Dahlgren
>
> Marge and/or Dave Thomssen wrote:
> >
> > Think about it: We race on a hard surface covered with mush and standing
> > water.
> > Dave the Hayseed
> >
> > ----- Original Message -----
> > From: "Dave Dahlgren" <ddahlgren@snet.net>
> > To: "Malcolm Pittwood" <MPittwood@compuserve.com>
> > Cc: "LSR List" <land-speed@autox.team.net>
> > Sent: Saturday, December 15, 2001 6:30 AM
> > Subject: Re: Mickey Thompson
> >
> > > I don't mean to belittle going 400+ mph in any way, but something has
> > occurred
> > > to me over the years. The progress in the unlimited cars has been very
> > slow.
> > > Does anyone have some insight why this is? It seems like cars were going
> > 400+ in
> > > '47 and to date the best improvement has been this year at just under 460
> > and
> > > the piston record is only about 6 mph better than '47.. Is it lack of
> > entries,
> > > lack of technology, or have we reached the limit of adhesion to go much
> > faster?
> > > Certainly we have the power available. Does anyone know what the speeds
> > were on
> > > Vesco's 458 run on a by mile basis as well as the others that have run in
> > this
> > > range. It might be interesting to plot the acceleration rates for each
> > mile and
> > > see if there is something in common with all of them.. I am starting to
> > think it
> > > all comes down to where the rubber meets the salt as when I last got an
> > e-mail
> > > from Tom Burkland he mentioned running 450 at 53% throttle so it is not
> > about
> > > power available in my mind it might be about 'sticktion' though. May be we
> > > sometimes have to just close the hood and see what is the real problem....
> > >
> > > I would love to hear from those that have run in the 400 and over range
> > what
> > > they think is the next big hurdle to going faster if they would like to
> > share
> > > their thoughts with the rest of us...
> > > Dave Dahlgren
> > >
> > > Malcolm Pittwood wrote:
> > > >
> > > > Whilst correcting an error from the family press release (which is also
> > > > published in many magazines and books), I would not want this list to
> > think
> > > > that I would wish to take away anything from MT's achievements in motor
> > > > sport - be it on the salt, drag strip or dirt.
> > > > I guess that this hot rodder and his Challenger 1 car did more to affect
> > > > Donald Campbells speed record activities in the early '60's than anyone
> > > > else.
> > > > Its just a shame that one way speeds become described as 'one way
> > records'
> > > > over time.
> > > > 406 mph if backed up would have affected every wheel driven team until
> > the
> > > > Vesco's and Burkland's got motoring.
> > > > Malcolm Pittwood, Derby, England.
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